stable

/ˈsteɪ.bəl/

//ˈsteɪ.bəl// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"stable" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“stable” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,139 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,139
frequency rank, English
6
letters
10
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A building, wing or dependency set apart and adapted for lodging and feeding (and training) ungulates, especially horses.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

stable vs state
67% similar
stable vs style
67% similar
stable vs stage
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for stable
PropertyValue
Headwordstable
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈsteɪ.bəl/
Letters6
Frequency rank#3,139
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “stable” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). stable lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for stable is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈsteɪ.bəl/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,139 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for stable, with forms such as "satble", "sstable", and "stabble". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "state", "style", "stage", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English stable, borrowed from Anglo-Norman stable, from Latin stab(u)lum. The correct English form is stable, spelled S-T-A-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A building, wing or dependency set apart and adapted for lodging and feeding (and training) ungulates, especially horses.
  2. 2
    All the racehorses of a particular stable, i.e. belonging to a given owner.
  3. 3
    A set of advocates; a barristers' chambers.
  4. 4
    An organization of sumo wrestlers who live and train together.
  5. 5
    A group of wrestlers who support each other within a wrestling storyline.
  6. 6
    A group of prostitutes managed by one pimp.
  7. 7
    A group of people who are looked after, mentored, or trained in one place or for a particular purpose or profession.
  8. 8
    A coherent or consistent set of things (typically abstract) available or presented; array.

Etymology

From Middle English stable, borrowed from Anglo-Norman stable, from Latin stab(u)lum.

This word in other languages

establo(Español)étable(Français)Stall(Deutsch)estábulo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: satble,sstable,stabble,stabel,stablle,stalbe,stbale,stible,sttable,tsable

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of stable - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

satble2sstable1stabble1stabel2stablle1stalbe2stbale2stible1
Edit distance from "stable"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "stable"?
"stable" is spelled S-T-A-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsteɪ.bəl/.
What does "stable" mean?
As a noun, "stable" means: A building, wing or dependency set apart and adapted for lodging and feeding (and training) ungulates, especially horses.
What words are commonly confused with "stable"?
"stable" is commonly confused with "state", "style", "stage". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "stable"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "stable" is /ˈsteɪ.bəl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "stable"?
From Middle English stable, borrowed from Anglo-Norman stable, from Latin stab(u)lum. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “stable”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-T-A-B-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈsteɪ.bəl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “state” - see the side-by-side comparison. stable vs state
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list